


Not Quite A City

by orphan_account



Series: A Tale of Seven Cities [7]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-20
Updated: 2018-04-20
Packaged: 2019-04-25 14:18:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14380416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account





	Not Quite A City

Not Quite a City 

 

When Jughead was asked to write about seven cities that meant the world to him, he picked those that had had several significant events to him during his married life, with the exception of Rome, which had two. Though, saying that he could only come up with six in no specific order than chronology: Paris, New York, London, Berlin, Rome and Edinburgh. Yet, when asked about the seventh, he couldn’t help but get a nagging voice in the back of his mind as the seventh place was not a city – it was a town.

A town; a relatively small town and the people of that town. From a distance, it presents itself like many other towns all over the world – safe, decent, innocent. Get closer though, and you start seeing the shadows underneath.

The name of that town was Riverdale.

No other singular place held as much importance to Jughead as Riverdale did. Moreover, no other place had witnessed so much of Jughead’s life. For everywhere else, Jughead could pick a single event, or two, and that was enough for his tale of seven cities, but Riverdale was by far of more importance with multiple events.

Aged Six – Forsythe Pendleton Jones the Third, Jughead, met his little sister Jellybean for the first time when his mother left the hospital with the small bundle of pink. At that age, he received his iconic, crown-shaped beanie, that he still wears on occasions to this day. And, most importantly, thinking back to it, he met Archie Andrews. This friendship, despite its ups and downs, would last a lifetime and for Jughead, it had other happy consequences.

Through Archie, Jughead was introduced to the ‘perfect’ girl next door. Jade eyes, blonde curls in a tight ponytail and a brilliant smile, there was no doubt in Jughead’s mind that Betty Cooper was the epitome of beauty, grace and joy. She was an Aphrodite made real, and he knew that he loved her from the moment he met her. There was one problem though.

Betty loved Archie.

Aged Ten – Jughead had to shield and look after his little sister from the cruel words that both their parents sneered at one another during their arguments. They had to move into a smaller house than they already occupied. They still lived in the catchment area for Riverdale’s schools instead of the Southside schools, but they were as ever still on the Southside. But, on good days, when the fighting ceased, they’d take Jughead and Jellybean to the old Drive-In, the place where Jughead fell in love with classic cinema. Even then, Jughead knew that this place would become necessary to him later on.

Reggie Mantle was getting crueller; Betty was still obsessed with Archie, and Archie was pulling away to play football. Jughead began writing to express his feelings especially after long periods of anger between his parents. Betty still baked him food though and looked after Jellybean with him. They grew closer that year as Archie began to leave them more to themselves. It had led to Jughead feeling as if he may have some hope with Betty and besides, it was better to be friends with Betty than not friends at all.

Yet, nearing the end of that year, Jughead accidentally set fire to the school. He’d been playing with matches near the gym due to boredom, and the gym caught fire. He’s explained that it was an accident, and both of his best friends had fought for him, but that did nothing. He was poor, from the Southside and his dad was a Serpent, so they were even harder on him. Yet, the three-week stint in juvie taught him patience and allowed his mind to run wild. He’d write each day of golden hair, jade eyes and Nancy Drew.

He was let out after he served his sentence, yet as he came out, his dad went to prison for the first time.

Aged Fourteen – Jughead was jumped by the Ghoulies, and neither of his parents cared enough to help him. Betty found out and patched him up, but they were slowly drifting away from one another. Betty was becoming good friends with Kevin Keller, but Jughead still held a soft spot in her heart. She’d held his hand; she had mended his beanie; and she had pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead before she left his small trailer, which he’d moved into after he was twelve.

Yet, even that small glimmer of happiness couldn’t block out the pain of his parents fighting with one another. Jughead had had to raise Jellybean. He’d learnt to cook; helped her with home, and he took her to and from school. At night, he’d read to her, and they’d watch the classic films that his dad had. They’d sometimes cry themselves to sleep as their lives broke around them, clinging onto one another for dear life.

Aged Fifteen – Betty and Archie had moved away from him. Jughead had all but blocked off the world since Gladys had grabbed Jellybean and ran. His dad had lost his job for Fred Andrews, fallen off the wagon and left Jughead not wanting to return home for an evening. Eventually, Jughead moved away to live in the old Drive-In. It was small, cramped and cold, but it was a home for him for a bit.

Archie suggested that they rekindle their relationship with a road trip. Weeks of planning, money saved and on the day, Archie never showed. Jughead shrunk back into himself when he heard of the disappearance of Jason Blossom. Personally, he hated the boy – he’d bullied Jughead all his life, but the beanie-clad boy had never wished Jason dead. He wasn’t that cruel, nor that malicious.

Yet, the mystery of Jason Blossom was a turning point.

A series of articles turned into a novel, and that novel would later spark off his success. Yet, at the time, Jughead was contending with the arrival of Veronica Lodge from New York and Archie breaking Betty’s heart. Archie had come to Jughead for advice, and despite giving it to his best friend, Jughead had also taken the time to make a dig at Archie. And, from the shadows, Jughead watched Betty come to terms with reality.

That was until Miss Grundy.

One day, during the beginnings of the investigation, Jughead realised that his old friend was beginning to act strangely. He managed to confront Archie, twice: once before finding out about the affair with Archie and Miss Grundy; and once after that. After that, Archie had been too angry to even look at Jughead. Yet, his old loyalty for Jughead meant that the redhead had defended the raven-haired boy from old bullies and they eventually set their lives back on track and Jughead finally managed to spend time with Betty again as well as Veronica.

Then, the Blue and Gold happened.

Jughead had undoubtedly been uncertain about it, but Betty’s eyes had implored him, and he couldn’t deny her a single thing. After all, after being in love with someone for that long, it was all but impossible to say no anymore. The investigation into Jason’s death had sparked off so many questions from Dilton Doiley to Cheryl to Polly Cooper to the Cooper adults and finally to the culprit.

Yet, during that, Betty’s walls and Jughead’s had begun to crumble.

He’d watched her admit that she was unsure whether or not her parents had a hand in the murder of Jason Blossom. He’d watched her come to terms with the fact that Archie would never share the feelings that she had once had for him. Yet, while Jughead noticed these, he also saw the lingering looks she’d give him until the day of the memorial. Jughead would always remember the look she’d given him when she’d saw him in that suit.

So, he’d taken a gamble after they’d gone to see Polly and he’d kissed Betty. The moment was unforgettable for Jughead and Betty but the moment had been interrupted by the realisation that Betty had had about the mystery. For Jughead, their first kiss couldn’t have been more perfectly them in any other sense. And, that joy had continued towards through the weeks of the investigation whether it be from the hunt for Polly to the baby shower.

Yet, all was about to change.

Aged Sixteen – Jughead and Betty’s relationship took a bit of a tumble at Jughead’s birthday party that Betty had thrown. Yet, through their confession of all their troubles, they had become much stronger. Then homecoming had led to the arrest of FP, causing Jughead to run away again and it wasn’t until Betty found the pen drive that the two seemed back on track.

However, when their first attempt at a first time had been interrupted by the Southside Serpents, everything had changed. Jughead’s transition to the Southside and subsequent entry of the Serpents caused strains and cracks as the Black Hood forced Betty to break up with him. And yet, when they came together, they fell apart again from trying to protect one another.

Through it all, Jughead suffered through and began to protest to all that he saw was wrong until he realised that he needed help again. His home was threatened, and the only person he trusted to help was Betty. They came together and found the missing head of the Pickens’ statue that had fuelled the fire against the Serpents.

And later they were to consummate their relationship.

The next parts were a little blurred in Jughead’s memory at the stresses of Betty’s brother Chic was causing them. They went from strength to strength, overcoming betrayal from old friends and solving the second case of the Black Hood before taking down the Ghoulies together as the Prince and Princess of the Serpents.

Aged Seventeen – Jughead gained strength and courage as Student Body President with Betty by his side. The Serpents together took down the evil corruptive nature of Hiram Lodge’s businesses before becoming more prominent. Old fractured friendships were healed as Jellybean came back into Jughead’s life. The only joy that was great as that of the one that Betty Cooper could bring was caused by the eleven-year old’s arrival. It was evident to all how important Jellybean was to the Serpent Prince, and everyone saw how Jughead became more mature in his character.

And, yet again, his relationship became stronger and more loving. Both parties found it more and more comfortable to confess their love for each other. It became more natural to except themselves, and their fates became more and more intertwined. Their passion strengthed again and again as well as time and time again they proved that they were unbeatable.

Aged Eighteen – The footnote for this age was that it was the last year that Jughead spent there in school. He enjoyed leaving school and travelling to New York with his friends, who included both the Serpents as well as the Northsiders. The final speeches at their graduation had been reminiscent and heartfelt before they left for what felt like for good.

Aged Twenty-five – For both Jughead and Betty, they accepted that only the place to cement their relationship was Riverdale. So, for their wedding, the pair returned to the place of their birth to become one with each other. Their love was indeed recognised in the old town.

Aged Thirty-two – For Matthew’s benefit, the parents decided that it would be best for their family to raise their children in a quiet sleepy town. Jughead had settled back into a large house built on the Southside by Andrews Construction. They enjoyed the delight of their family life with all of their family there with them.

Aged Forty-Six – Jughead watched both his children and their girlfriends, graduate feeling as if he’d achieved something good in his life. He sat back smiling with his hand clasped over Betty’s watching his son giving his shaky speech, but with each word, Matthew had improved causing Jughead’s heart to swell with pride as he watched him.

Aged Fifty-one – After Matthew’s speech, Jughead and Betty returned to Riverdale and once again ran together for a political seat, only this time it was for joint mayor. The two of them found that they were falling back into their familiar roles and it was upon this point when Jughead hadn’t published anything in five years when he was asked to write something personal. He thought about it for many months before deciding on one thing. It was 20096 words long, and there was only one thing Jughead could write on: his life. Each chapter held significance, and they were:

Chapter One: Paris

Chapter Two: New York

Chapter Three: London

Chapter Four: Berlin

Chapter Five – Part One and Part Two: Rome

Chapter Six: Edinburgh

Chapter Seven: Riverdale.

And he was to call it: A Tale of Seven Cities by F. P. Jones III.


End file.
